This is one recipe you can’t just go to your local grocery store for all the ingredients! Well, at least the elk meat. But once you bite into this juicy wild game elk meatloaf, it’ll all be worth it.
I have tried my hand at my fair share of meatloaf recipes, most recently being my venison meatloaf, which, if you haven’t checked it out yet, why not?
So, grab your ingredients, and let’s go make the best elk meatloaf recipe today!
Elk Meatloaf Ingredients:
- A 16-ounce package of bacon
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 pounds of ground Elk meat
- 1/2 cup of ketchup
- 1/2 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon of Dijon mustard (my favorite is Dijon with white wine)
- 1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs
- 2 medium size eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt and ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder
For the topping:
- 1/4 cup of barbeque sauce
- 1/4 cup of ketchup
- 1/8 cup (2 tbsp) of brown sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
How to make the best elk Meatloaf recipe.
*Check out the step-by-step images below.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F
- Chop up bacon finely, then cook it on medium heat in a large cast iron skillet. Add the garlic for the last 30 seconds or so. Place the bacon on a paper towel lined plate and drain the grease from the skillet.
- Add all the remaining ingredients (not the toppings) to a large bowl or crock and loosely mix.
- Now that our bacon has had a chance to cool, gently mix it in with the rest of the meatloaf ingredients. (try not to overwork the mixture)
- Shape your loaf and place it in the same skillet you cooked the bacon in earlier. Just make sure it has cooled down to the touch.
- Bake in your preheated oven for 55-65 minutes on the center rack. While it’s baking, combine the topping ingredients and brush them on for the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- Cook the meatloaf until it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F. Note that if the glaze on top of the meatloaf starts to brown, you can loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
- Carefully remove the meatloaf from the oven with mitts and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving for the best results.
Bonus Tip: This meatloaf is plenty large and can be made into two loaves.
Additionally, you might notice I did not use as many breadcrumbs as you may think a recipe of this size would need.
And while that’s true, I wanted to keep this recipe as juicy as possible, so while the meatloaf might be a touch ‘loose,’ it’s still delicious!
So if you want, feel free to add another half a cup of breadcrumbs to the mix. Or you can always make a meatloaf casserole!
Just a few tips for you!
- This recipe calls for elk, but you can use a combination of elk, ground venison, or ground pork. Truthfully, you could even use ground turkey or chicken, but you will want to adjust the cooking times.
- Another thing when mixing all of the ingredients together is that it’s important to be gentle. Overmixing can lead to a dense and tough meatloaf. So mix just until everything is combined.
- For the toppings, feel free to get creative! You can swap out the barbeque sauce for a spicy marinara, or, to make things easier, just drizzle in ketchup and call it a day.
- If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you can use a loaf pan to shape your meatloaf. Just be sure to grease it before adding the mixture.
- To ensure that your meatloaf is fully cooked, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature.
- Ground meat should always reach 160°F to be safe to eat, according to the USDA. (With the exception of poultry, which must be cooked to 165°F)
Storing your elk meatloaf
Make sure you wait for it to cool, then store it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a baking dish or skillet until warmed through.
Mmm, I’m already picturing meatloaf sandwiches tomorrow! I, for one, think meatloaf is just as good the next day!
What if I’m worried it will stick to my pan?
Well, not to worry, go ahead and line it with parchment paper first and trim it to fit! And hey, it makes clean-up that much easier, which is a win in my books.
But if you don’t want to go with the parchment idea, you can always lightly grease the pan with a bit of olive oil or bacon grease.
Does elk meatloaf have a gamey taste?
You know, it really doesn’t. It has a lot to do with the bacon, which does a good job of drowning out any gamey flavor.
I will say, as far as game meats go, elk really doesn’t have a lot of gamey taste. It could just be the difference between wild game and farm-raised elk, but that’s my personal experience.
And if you need to spruce this recipe up…
Here are my favorite ways to enjoy this classic meatloaf. Can I call it a classic?
Spice things up: A little jalapeno, sauteed, and some crushed red peppers will be enough to bring tears to the spicy tastebud club.
Add some crunch: I’ve never done this with this elk recipe, but believe it or not, Stirring in just a 1/4 cup of caramelized onions will add a satisfying crunch.
Season your way: I kept this one pretty simple, but feel free to add your choice of seasonings, such as onion powder, garlic powder, or a dash of Italian seasoning. I actually like to sprinkle a little Italian seasoning on top of the glaze.
Add an onion: Why not? Everyone else has! It’s really simple; just dice up a medium-sized onion and add it to the meatloaf mixture—no need to saute ahead of time.
Enjoying your wild game Elk Meatloaf
This is not my first time adding bacon to a recipe. Come to think of it, I use bacon in a lot of my elk recipes, including elk burgers and my elk roast. This is a great recipe that’s perfect for the whole family.
And, of course, our tangy glaze on top finishes this meal off quite nicely!
So go ahead and give it a shot. And if you made it and loved it, leave a review below so I know! And if you made any adjustments, let me know in the comments!
If you are looking for more wild game recipes, I think you might enjoy one of these next.
- Elk Tenderloin with rosemary garlic butter
- Spicy Moose chili with my secret ingredient
- How to cook the ultimate Venison Tenderloin
Juicy Elk Meatloaf Recipe with Crispy Bacon
Ingredients
- A 16-ounce package of bacon
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 pounds of ground Elk meat
- 1/2 cup of ketchup
- 1/2 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon of Dijon mustard my favorite is Dijon with white wine
- 1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs
- 2 medium size eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt and ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder
For the Glaze Topping
- 1/4 cup of barbeque sauce
- 1/4 cup of ketchup
- 1/8 cup 2 tbsp of brown sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F
- Chop up bacon finely, then cook it on medium heat in a large cast iron skillet. Add the garlic for the last 30 seconds or so. Place the bacon on a paper towel lined plate and drain the grease out of the skillet.
- Add all the remaining ingredients, (not the toppings) to a large bowl or crock and Loosely mix.
- Now that our bacon has had a chance to cool, gently mix it in with the rest of the meatloaf ingredients.
- Shape your loaf and place it in the same skillet you cooked the bacon in earlier. Just make sure it has cooled down to the touch.
- Bake in your preheated oven for 55-66 minutes on the center rack. While its baking, combine the topping ingredients and brush them on for the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- Cook the meatloaf until it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F. Note that if the glaze on top of the meatloaf starts to brown, you can loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
- Carefully remove the meatloaf from the oven with mitts and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving for the best results.
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